William burnett



(No Model.)

W. BURNETT.

PRESSURE REGULATOR.

' No. 295,978 Patented Apr. 1, 1884.

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WILLIAM BURNETT, on NEW YORK,

PATENT FFICE.

ASSIGNOR on ONE-HALF TO JAMES REILLY, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.

PRESSURE-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 295,978, dated April 1, 1884. Application filed July 152, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

-Be it known that I, WILLIAM BURNETT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and. State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ,PressureBegulators, of which the following isa specification. a

My invention relates to that class of automatic regulators employed for reducing the pressure of steam, air, gas, water, 850., in their passage from any main into branch pipes connected therewith; and it consists of a novel and advantageous arrangement of parts, the employment of a spring of india-rubber or other like elastic material of peculiar construction as a means of controlling, through suitable mechanism, the operation of thepressure-reducing valve, and has reference to the construction of a chamber in which is contained the abovenamed or other spring of elastic material, and to special devices employed, the manner of connecting and adjusting the same, and to their mode of operation.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe the construction and operation of my improved pressure-regulator, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, and to letters of reference marked thereon.

Similar letters refer to like parts in the several views. 1

Figure" 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation at the general axis of the instrument; Fig. 2, a horizontal section of lever B on the line w 00, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section on the line a ll, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a halfsection through the axis of the chamber J, Fig. 1, with slight modification of form, showing another form of india-rubber spring; and Fig. 5 a view partly in section of a steamtight spindle for adjustment of screw-tensionrod.

A is an oblong rectangular chamber, of suitable depth to contain lever B and mechanism connected therewith. This forms the reducedpressure chamber, which has the following adjuncts or appendants, viz: the high-pressure induction-pipe O and reducing-valve casing D, the chamber E, through which passes transversely the pin F to receive the fulcrum end of the lever B, the reduced-pressure exit-pipe G, the removable cover H, and the pendent pipe I, connecting the reduced-pressure chamber A with the chamber J, in which the controlling-spring K K is situated.

i L is the pressure-reducing valve, which is provided with pendent wing-guides Z Z, in cross or other form, and on the top of this valve is a projection, m, properly rounded at its upper part, to furnish a seat or hearing for the lever B, which is kept in position laterally by a vertical projection, n, on either side of the lever-bearing.

The construction of the chamber J, which contains the spring K K, will be readily understood. The pipe I is provided with a radial plate or flange, M, which at the periphery is curved downward and slightly inward, as shown in the drawings. The plate N, forming the bottom of the chamber, is provided on its upper side with a central boss, O,which is drilled to a proper depth and screw-threaded on-the inside. This bottom plate, N, is at its periphery curved upward and inward, so as to produce the inverted form of the upper plate, M. These plates M and N, if brought together, would form acomplete chamber; but in use are kept apart by the elastic force of the india-rubber spring K K, introduced between them. The screw-rod Q, the head of of lever B, passes downward through connect ing-pipe l, and engages with the screwthreaded central boss, 0, on the bottom-plate, N, of the chamber J, thus connecting adjustably the said bottom plate, N, with the power end of lever B.

The cover H of the reduced-pressure chamber is secured by four small tap-bolts, R R, and a screw-plug, S, is introduced in this cover in a position directly over the head of screwrod Q, to provide an opening intothe interior at this point for the purpose of adjusting the inclosed mechanism, in which operation a common screw-driver or other like device is emted or otherwise suitably formed for this purpose. The hcad of this screw-rod has also a ployed, the head of the screw-rod being slotwhich has a shoulder-bearing in the outer end conical shoulder, which rests on rounded edges at opposite sides of the slot in the end of the lever, through which the body of the rod is made to pass freely. This shoulder has no hearing at the ends of the slot. This formation of parts has in view the avoidance of friction in working, while the liberty of rotation for the purposes of adjustment is still secured to the rod Q.

The controlling-spring K K is annular, and the form of transverse section (shown in the drawings) will be readily understood. It will also be understood that the spring K K, from its forcible contact with the top and bottom plates of chamber J, is self-packing. In the operation of this form of spring, when the upper and lower lips of its periphery are made to approach one another, the movement involves the bending of the material rather than its compression. Thus at 0 oitis compressed, but at p p it is extended. To the embodiment of this principle of action in the spring K K is due its superior elasticity, as compared with a spring of like elastic material, as at T, Fig. 4, the form and operation of which involve only its compressibility; but springs having the latter character may in a variety of forms be employed in combination with plates M and N with useful effect in cases where only a very limited movement of the parts is required, as in the control of small valves, and I hold such application as a part of my invention.

By the employment in the reduced-pressure chamber of a lever of the second order great compactness of construction and simplicity of arrangement are secured. Thus I am enabled to arrange the valve-casing D and connecting-pipe I as parallel pendants, which permits of a direct connection made between the power end of the lever B and the plate bearingthe controllingspring in such a manner that the adjustment of the entire internal mechanism is referred to a single point,whieh may be readily reached from the outside of the instrument through a small opening provided for this purpose. By this arrangement provision is also made for the collection of the water of condensation in the chamber J and connecting-pipe I, which is necessary to the preservation of the spring K K when the instrument is employed for the reduction of steam-pressure. The lever, as employed in this case, is also held firmly in place without pivoting at any point, while the regulatingvalve is arranged to fall into its seat by gravity. Thelength of connecting-pipe I will vary, depending on the size of the instrument. In any case the length must be such that the heat of the steam in chamber A will be sufficiently dissipated by radiation before reaching the chamber J to prevent injury to the india-rubber spring inclosed therein.

In putting together the parts of this instru- V ment, the following order should be observed:

Insert the spring K K in the plate N and then in plate M, or contrariwise, which will connect these parts. Having removed the cover H, drop the valve L into its place. Insert the lever B, by passing its fulcrum end under pin F and resting the middle of the lever on the valve between guides or. Now pass the tension screw-rod Q through the outer end of the lever B, and with a common screw-driver or other suitable instrument screw it into boss 0 on plate N until the shoulder of the rod rests on the lever. Now screw the rod into the boss 0 until the spring K K is sufiiciently compressed to prevent leakage of water, which will now be poured into pipe I until it reaches the bottom of chamber A. Another turn or two of the screw-rod will generally load the valve sufficiently for any common pressure. The cover H will now be put on with a thin india-rubber packing and secured by tap-bolts It R.

The operation is as follows: The pressure being admitted into induction-pipe G, the valve will remain seated until the pressure under it is sufficient to overcome the tension of spring K K. Vhen this occurs, the pressure accumulating within the chamber A will operate on plate N, and by depressing it, together with. valve L, will prevent further accumulation of pressure within chamber A and the deliverypipe G. If a greater reduction of pressure is desired, the steam will be shut off and the screw-plug S removed. The screw-driver will then be used to screw down the tension screwslottedor other suitably-formed head of the tension-rod Q, with such freedom of fit vertically as to permit the rod to rise under the action of the lever B, while its free rotation,

by means of the said permanent spindle, is

IIS

provided for. i This arrangement permits adjustment of the tension-rod to be made with out shutting off steam.

Having thus fully described my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the employment of a spring of elastic material of the exact form shown by me at K K in the drawings, as other forms may be employed involving the same principle of action, and by the adoption of which may be secured all the advantages which accrue from the use of the example by me herein shown and described.

Vhat I claim is- 1. In combination with the depending casing D, the pressure-reducing valve L, having a vertical movement in the casing, the lever B 295,978 r p v s in chamber A, the depending connecting-pipe annular wall of rubber K, substantially as and I0 I, with pressure-chamber J, and the screw-rod and for the purpose described.

Q, as and for the purpose described. Signed at New York, in the county of New 2. The pressure-chamber J, having top and York and State of New York, this 10th day of i 5 bottom plates of metal and a circumferential July, A. D. 1883.

Wall of elastic material, the latter serving the WM. BURNETT. double purpose of a packing and a spring. Witnesses:

3. In combination with the top and bottom I 'OHAs. O. GILL, plates of the pressure-chamber, the V-shaped HERMAN GUsToW. 

